The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-06-09
How Much Right2

How Much Right7
1t seems very difficult to deter
mine how far we can go in claiming |
rights for ourselves without in
fringing upon the rights of others.
In free country like this we have
the right to do as we please so long
as we do not interfere with the
rights of others. And this question |
of right is great STUN bling block |
to labor organizations, for all labor
organizations, as constituted at
present, directly or indirectly, as
sail individual rights. The major
ity of people are willing to, and do,
admit the right of all men to join
an organization, and also concede
:hem the right, to a certain extent,
to set price upon their labor. But
when they go farther and say to
others that they too must work for
the wages named by the organiza
ton of which they are not members,
or JOIN the organization before they
can work at all, they are invading
rights which are sacred, and in
time will bring destruction upon
their own heads. 1t is very diff
cult problem to solve, and will re-
main so, SO long as any considera-
bic number Of laboring men, skilled
or unskilled, refuse to join labor or
ganizations. And even should all
wage workers join the anions, indi-
vidual right would remain unpro
tected so long as there remained no
distinction as to merit-the brainy,
intelligent, Industrious workman
would suffer because compelled to
labor for the same wage as the in
dolent sluggard, whose only amb1-
ton is to ''get in time'' and draw
| pay, no matter whether an equiva-
lent has been rendered therefor.
| If manufacturers have the right,
and they claim they have, to organ
| ize and combine so as to control
the market, both as to supply and
demand, thereby enabling them to
set and regulate prices, laboring
men should certainly be granted
the same privilege, the right to or
ganize and combine for the purpose
Of regulating the wage rate accord
ing to supply and demand. Blu
granting these privileges to both in
terests named, does not give eth Ell
Of them the right to Cypress par.
ties who may differ with them il
their mode of doing business o.
f cannot endorse their manner o
J reasoning. Organized manufactur
ers have no right to attempt to keel
any man, rot member of any Or
ganlzation, from embarking in
: given line Of business and placin,
] his own price upon the products O
t bis establishment. Neither has
I labor organization the right to sa,
a to man who declines to join, tina
: he shall not work until he become
1 d mem Der, or that he shall not set
d price upon his own labor. In eth
: er case it is coercion, an invasion
u Of rights, which, if insisted upon
: eventually brings disastrous re
Y suits.
{ Insisting upon and enforcing thi
), sO-cailed right it is the rock upo
&, which organized labor is splitting
G 1t is the weak spot which neve
will be strengthened until the ethic
{ Of labor organizations are RADICAL
5 amended To ostracise 4 Workma
S | because he refuses to join a labo
{ organization; because he has the in
e dependence to think for himself in
S stead Of permitting others to thin
for him; because he possesses stuff
{ cient self-rellance to attempt t
II paddle his own canoe" is con
scious of the plain fact that merit
L and merit alone, will in the Ion
II run yield the greatest reward; be
/ / c case he declines to pay tribute t
{ the GLIB tongued agitator, pre-. crri n n
d 10 make his own contracts an
transact his business in a bushes
+ manner, is two-edged sword whic
5, eventually more sorely wounds tn
{ hand that yields it than the objec
@ it was frst raised to attack. Sc
b too, with organized employers an
{ manufacturers; no matter whethe
4 their coercive power be directe
Q against labor, organized or unol
o ganized, or against party or PAL
h lies who decline to join their organ
d iZatiOn. Efforts TO circumscribe th
d rights Of men who think and &C
e for themselves invariably react uT
: ON those who usurp power.-Indus
trial Gazette.